Joseph Sugarman described his first ads as horrible. He never finished college, never took a course in advertising or creative writing, and even flunked English. But he went on to become one of the most successful direct marketing copywriters of the last century, building JS&A Group Inc. and generating millions of dollars in sales through the sheer force of his written words.
What made Sugarman different? He understood that copywriting is a learnable skill with specific principles anyone can apply. His ads for products like the Bone Fone, BluBlocker sunglasses, and countless electronic gadgets became legendary because they followed a consistent methodology.
This guide breaks down seven of Sugarman’s most powerful copywriting principles so you can apply them to your own work and start writing copy that actually converts.
The Man Behind the Millions
Sugarman built his empire from a basement. His company, Joseph Sugarman & Associates (JS&A), became America’s leading print media mail order company, advertising in a greater variety of national magazines and newspapers than any other direct response organization of its time.
What set his work apart was his approach to long-form copy. While other advertisers used flashy images and short taglines, Sugarman wrote full-page ads packed with copy. And people read every word. His famous “Vision Breakthrough” ad for BluBlocker sunglasses opened with: “When I put on the pair of glasses what I saw I could not believe. Nor will you.” Simple. Intriguing. Impossible to stop reading.
He once calculated his hourly rate at $58,397.69, based on a gross income of $3,737,452 earned from just 64 hours of actual copywriting work. The principles that generated those results are teachable.
Step 1: Get the Reader to Agree
Your prospect should feel in harmony with your copy from the first moment they engage with it. Sugarman believed this rapport was the foundation everything else builds upon.
This means knowing your reader’s motivations and connecting with their genuine pain points and desires. Not manipulating. Not using fear tactics that feel forced. Building real understanding.
Sugarman was explicit about avoiding manipulation. Yes, fear can be a psychological trigger, but he argued you have to be truthful and subtle with it. Prospects will detect any dishonesty, and once they do, the relationship is over.
Consider his approach when selling a burglar alarm. Rather than screaming about danger, he wrote under the header “YOU JUDGE THE QUALITY”:
“Will the Midex system ever fail? No product is perfect, but judge for yourself. All components used in the Midex system are of aerospace quality and of such high reliability that they pass the military standard…”
No outlandish promises. He invites the reader to be the judge, demonstrating trust in their intelligence. Then he provides the features that deliver the reassurance he refuses to simply claim.
Pro tip: Before writing, list three to five beliefs your ideal reader already holds. Your copy should affirm these beliefs early, creating a series of mental “yes” responses that build trust.
Step 2: Make Your First Sentence Irresistible
Every sentence in your copy has one job: get the reader to read the next one.
Sugarman taught his students to forget features and benefits at the start. The opening line needs to be short, easy to read, and impossible to ignore. It should use simple language and open a curiosity loop.
Look at how he opened some of his most successful ads:
- “It’s a joke.” (Success Forces)
- “I was shocked.” (The Truth About Coffee)
- “You need oxygen to live.” (Miracle Fuzz)
- “It’s about time.” (Cordless Wonder)
Short. Punchy. Each one creates a question in the reader’s mind that demands an answer.
His “Vision Breakthrough” ad demonstrates this masterfully: “I am about to tell you a true story. If you believe me, you will be well rewarded. If you don’t believe me, I will make it worth your while to change your mind.”
That’s three sentences, and you’re hooked. You have to know what comes next.
Ways to write compelling openers:
a) Start with a provocative statement (“It has no digital readout, an ugly case, and a stupid name.”)
b) Open with a direct address to the reader’s situation (“You’re stuck. You’re at a phone booth trying to find a phone number, and people are waiting.”)
c) Lead with a bold claim that demands proof (“A new invention by America’s space agency will help all Americans save energy.”)
Step 3: Create “Slippery Slide” Copy
Sugarman’s most famous concept: your copy should be so compelling that reading it feels like sliding down a slippery slide. Once a reader starts, they can’t stop until they reach the bottom.
This happens through both style and content working together. Short sentences mixed with longer ones. Simple words instead of complex vocabulary. A rhythm that carries readers forward.
From his ad for a digital scale:
“Losing weight is not easy. Ask anyone. One of the few pleasures of losing weight is stepping on your bathroom scale and seeing positive results. Your bathroom scale is like a report card–a feedback mechanism that tells you how well you’ve done.”
Notice the variation. A four-word sentence. A two-word sentence. Then longer sentences that paint a picture. The rhythm pulls you along.
The mechanics of slippery copy:
- Vary your sentence length dramatically
- Use words your reader uses in everyday conversation
- End paragraphs on thoughts that demand continuation
- Connect each section to the reader’s desires
- Leave some things to imagination so readers stay curious
- Paint specific pictures of outcomes
Sugarman kept prospects reading through entire pages of copy using these techniques. Every word earned its place by moving readers toward the next word.
Step 4: Organize for Flow and Address Objections Early
Your copy needs a logical structure. Important messages first. Objections handled quickly before they fester.
Sugarman knew that readers have concerns floating in their minds as they read. Price. Quality. Whether the product actually works. Ignoring these concerns lets them grow into deal-breakers. Addressing them head-on defuses their power.
Think about Stella Artois’ famous tagline: “Reassuringly expensive.” Two words transformed the biggest objection (high price) into a benefit (quality assurance). That’s the principle in action.
Sugarman’s “Magic Baloney” ad demonstrates this brilliantly. The opening: “It has no digital readout, an ugly case, and a stupid name. It almost made us sick.” He leads with every possible objection to the Magic Stat thermostat, then explains why none of them matter. By acknowledging what readers are already thinking, he earns permission to tell them why they should think differently.
Organizing your copy for flow:
Put your strongest hook in the first sentence. Follow it with your most compelling proof or benefit. Then address the primary objection your reader likely has. Only after that foundation is laid should you move into detailed features.
This structure respects your reader’s psychology. They need to be intrigued before they’ll consider your evidence, and they need their doubts acknowledged before they’ll believe your claims.
Step 5: Sell the Concept, Not the Product
“Never sell a product or service, sell a concept.”
This might be Sugarman’s most strategic insight. Products compete on features. Concepts create categories.
What made the Bone Fone special? Not the technical specifications. The concept: “A new concept in sound technology may revolutionize the way we listen to stereo music. The Bone Fone surrounds your entire body with a sound almost impossible to imagine.”
He’s selling an experience, a transformation, a new possibility. The product is just the vehicle.
His “Home Computer Revolution” ad promised: “If you read this easy-to-understand article, you’ll know more about home computers than most Americans will learn in the next two years.” He’s not selling a computer. He’s selling the concept of belonging to the informed few, of getting ahead of the curve.
Finding your concept:
Ask yourself: What does this product make possible that wasn’t possible before? What identity does it let the buyer claim? What future does it open up?
The Bally Library Computer ad called it “the story of an incredible product. So incredible that we know of no future consumer product that will have such a far-reaching technological impact on society.” That’s a concept: being part of a technological revolution.
Your concept should be bigger than specifications. It should speak to who your buyer wants to become.
Step 6: Sell on Emotion, Justify with Logic
“You sell on emotion, but you justify a purchase with logic.”
Sugarman understood that buying decisions happen in two stages. First, an emotional pull creates desire. Then, the rational mind needs permission to act on that desire.
His copy always served both masters.
The “Sleep Sheep” ad opens emotionally: “We may have found a way to improve your sleep forever.” Everyone wants better sleep. That’s primal. Then it provides the logical justification: “New Zealanders discovered that sleeping under sheep’s wool induced sleep.”
The “Yellow Brick Diet” ad hits the emotional desire for transformation: “‘How much do you think I weigh? You should have seen me when I started.'” Then it pivots to logic: “It’s your life. But if you’re open-minded, what I’m going to suggest may change your life forever.”
Balancing emotion and logic:
Lead with the feeling your product creates. Paint a picture of life after the purchase. Let the reader feel the desire.
Then provide the facts, specifications, guarantees, and proof that give their rational mind the evidence it needs to say yes. Price comparisons. Technical credentials. Testimonials. Return policies.
The emotional hook gets them leaning forward. The logical support lets them pull out their wallet.
Step 7: Understand the Product’s True Nature
Every product has its own personality, its own natural selling position. Sugarman spent days studying products and their components before writing a single word of copy.
His burglar alarm example illustrates this perfectly. He knew that fear-based copy (“LOOK BEHIND YOU!!”) wouldn’t work for this product. Instead, he recognized that customers would eventually experience a circumstance that triggered the purchase decision, whether a break-in in their neighborhood, a news story, or a friend’s experience.
His ad needed to position the product as the best option on the market, ready for that moment. And it worked. Customers told Sugarman they’d cut out the ad and filed it away, ready for when they needed it. Exactly as he predicted.
Discovering product personality:
a) Study every component, feature, and specification until you understand what makes this product different
b) Talk to customers who already own it and ask why they bought and what surprised them
c) Use the product yourself if possible, noting your own experience
d) Identify the natural moment when someone would reach for this solution
The “Jogging Computer” ad shows this understanding: “It’s a fact. You reach your physical peak at age 25 and your mental peak at age 40. From then on it’s downhill. But it needn’t be.” Sugarman understood that fitness equipment isn’t about equipment. It’s about fighting decline, maintaining vitality, staying relevant.
Your Turn to Write
Sugarman had more failures than successes in his career. He wrote prolifically, learned from those catastrophic early attempts, and kept refining his approach. His first ads were horrible. His later ads sold millions.
The difference? Practice guided by principle.
These seven ideas aren’t abstract theories. They’re battle-tested techniques that generated real results over decades. Get your reader nodding in agreement. Make your first sentence impossible to ignore. Create copy so smooth readers can’t stop. Organize logically while handling objections early. Sell the concept, not the specifications. Balance emotional pull with logical proof. And spend real time understanding what you’re selling.
Start with your next piece of copy. Pick one principle to focus on. Then add another. Write, test, learn, write again. That’s how Sugarman built his skill. That’s how you’ll build yours.
If You Need Help to Market and Grow Your Business Call Paul (602) 849-0662